Snooker: an incredible year for overseas potters

Hong Kong's Marco Fu ends 2016 on what has been a great year so far for snooker's overseas players

MARCO FU has claimed the final ranking event of 2016 and ended what has been a great year for potters on the baize - especially those from overseas.

Fu, 38, claimed his third ranking#Snooker title in the Coral Scottish Open in Glasgow on Sunday night after being 4 - 1 down to John Higgins ending up to win 9 - 4.

The Asian potter bounced back and won an incredible eight frames on the bounce to lift the Stephen Hendry trophy, presented by the man himself the seven-times World Champion and also pocketed the £70,000 first prize.

His victory in Scotland also means the Asian potter moves up to number eight in the World rankings - moving up six places.

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Fu has made 27. Fu has made 27 tons this season, 11 of which came in the final ranking event of this year.

The Home Nations series now heads to Wales next year for the final leg of the events, with two of the winners so far being from the Asian block. Liang Wenbo won the English Open earlier this year and Fu claimed the Scottish Open crown.

Liang Wenbo won the English Open earlier this year and Fu claimed the Scottish Open crown.

Glory for Asian potters

Fu is the third Asian player this season to have won a ranking event, joining Ding Junhui, Liang Wenbo in glory and the fourth overseas player to win after 11 ranking events this season.Neil Robertson scooped the first of the 2016/17 season the Riga Masters.

Australia's Neil Robertson scooped the first of the 2016/17 season the Riga Masters.

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Ding also claimed the non-ranking Six Reds in Thailand in September as well as the ranking Shanghai Masters.

John Higgins, 41, who had a great October/November by scooping back to back non-ranking titles in China and the UK, has pocketed over £400,000 in prize money so far this season. (see video Q and A below)

Scotland's Anthony McGill so far is the youngest player to have won a ranking event this season and Fu so far is the oldest.

Mark Selby has won four ranking events this year, including his second World Championship in the space of three years after winning his first in 2014.

Fu's win in Scotland means he now gets an invite to the 2017 Champion of Champions - which was won by John Higgins this time around, automatically in the draw for next year.

Ronnie O'Sullivan has been in two ranking finals this season, but so far has yet to claim any silverware this season.

The Rocket will defend his Master's title in London in January and bid for a seventh Masters crown, non-ranking.

Fu ended 2015 winning a minor-ranking event on the EU tour the Gibraltar Open, and finishes ironically, the 2016 year winning a full ranking event.

Higgins and O'Sullivan are still in contention for a 29th ranking title, with eight ranking events left of this season.

Either one would lift them to second on the all-time list of ranking title wins with Hendry still out on 36.

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